Fairfield, CT - Last month, propeller guards were installed on two motorboats at Camp Sequassen in New Hartford, CT by Fairfield’s BSA Troop 82 Scoutmaster Bryan LeClerc, Assistant Scoutmaster Richard Jacobs and Camp Ranger Dave Boyajian.
The propeller guards are placed over the outboard propellers and designed as a safety measure for those using the boats. According to U.S. Coast Guards statistics released in 2016, there were 171 boating accidents nationwide where an individual was struck by a propeller. There were 175 injuries and 24 deaths.
One such accident resulted in the death of 12-year-old Ryan Weiss of Suffolk County, New York, on July 18, 2017. Weiss had been taking part in a capsizing drill at a sailing camp when he fell off the boat and into the propeller after the boat had accelerated.
Suffolk County Legislature voted unanimously in favor of “Ryan’s Law” legislation, which would require propeller guards to be placed on boats used in youth programs. The legislation was sponsored by William Spencer, D-Centerport. New York State Rep. Andrew Raia, R-Huntington, N.Y., has sponsored a similar bill in the New York legislature.
Nearly a year after the accident, “Emily’s Law” was passed by the state of Connecticut, which prohibits teenage boaters under the age of 16 from towing water skiers and tubers and requires all boaters to be trained in proper tubing techniques.
Both incidents were brought to the attention of LeClerc and the Scout Committee by Jacobs, who sought to bring about proactive change. The initiative began at Camp Sequassen, where Fairfield’s Troop 82 Scouts attend summer camp, but both men seek to take it farther than the initial donation from the troop.
Troop 82 is a nationally recognized member of Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and has been an active Boy Scout Troop since the 1920's at The First Church Congregational in Fairfield, CT. Troop 82 believes in learning while having fun. Troop 82 Scouts learn to be better American citizens, to develop the mental and physical skills needed for growth, and to follow a set of Scouting principles which build character and nurture personal values. Troop 82 meets every Thursday at 7:30 pm at The First Congregational Church on Beach Road in Fairfield and holds an open enrollment policy.
For more information, contact Troop 82 Community Relations Director, Jeff Zakim at jeffzakim@gmail.com or 203-829-8205.